Jack Eichel is going to be a free agent after the 2025-26 NHL season, unless the Vegas Golden Knights can sign him to an extension first.
That’d be an even bigger deal than it already is if Connor McDavid wasn’t also heading toward free agency, too.
But it’s still a huge deal. Eichel is one of the best players in the league. His eventual destination will be a massive, massive story.
And in a recent social media post that went viral among hockey fans on X, Eichel was predicted to join the Vancouver Canucks.
NHL fans didn’t think that made much sense.
“Nonsense list,” wrote one commenter.
“If that happens then (Sidney) Crosby is going to the Sharks,” wrote another.
“American Jack Eichel leaving Vegas no state tax for Vancouver is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen,” wrote a third.
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There weren’t any posters jumping on to defend the idea of Eichel to Vancouver.
It will be a bit tough for Vegas to keep Eichel. They just shelled out big money for Mitch Marner, and they’re already using a huge percentage of their salary cap on a handful of players.
Of course, Eichel has been a hero in Vegas. He helped the Golden Knights win a Stanley Cup so early in their existence.
As long as they have Eichel, the Golden Knights can win a lot of hockey games.
His future may depend on how well the partnership with Marner works. If that looks like a gem, Vegas will be very incentivized to keep him.
Maybe he’ll go somewhere else, but there’s definitely plenty of people who would be shocked to see the destination end up as Vancouver.
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